ONWARD, CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS! [WHOSE CROSS

For those of you — non-Christian, Christian, or post-Christian — who have been wondering why worshippers of the Prince of Peace seem to have so little scruple about waging war, my old friend Steve Harvester (a United Methodist pastor) has an explanation: it’s mostly the Emperor Constantine’s fault.

The essay is a breath of fresh air because it presents its pacifism straightforwardly, rather than trying to disguise it as policy analysis or international law.

The argument reminds me of one of my favorite lines from one of my unfavorite authors, G.K. Chesterton (The Napoleon of Notting Hill almost makes up for all the bigotry, but not quite):